The NPN Trumpet - Summer Issue

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Summer 2014 • Community Voices Orchestrating Change • Issue 8 Volume 4

Equity, Inclusion &

Economic Growth Is the tide rising fairly across all neighborhoods in the City of New Orleans?

Neighborhoods Partnership Network’s (NPN) mission is to improve our quality of life by engaging New Orleanians in neighborhood revitalization and civic process.

Letter From The Executive Director Photo: Kevin Griffin/2Kphoto

NPN provides an inclusive and collaborative city-wide framework to empower neighborhood groups in New Orleans.

IT’S NOT FAIR Equity is not equal

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NPN Board Members

Timolynn Sams Sumter

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T’S NOT FAIR,” is a phrase that I have commonly heard in various spaces and at various tables in the last few years of my time at NPN. This is a far cry difference from what I once heard in my early years with the organization that spoke more about identifying justice and ensuring that the principles of equal access remains a fundamental cornerstone of American democracy. This notion held that every citizen deserves the same opportunity to influence the course of democracy and to benefit from the fruits of a good society. Yet when a society, (city/ neighborhood) is separated into piles of advantage and disadvantage, the chances of opportunity being fairly realized are slim to none.

This is where a good society commits resources in order to level the playing field. There is a common misconception that equity and equality mean the same thing — and that they can be used interchangeably. We are familiar with the idea of “Pulling oneself up by their bootstraps.” Some of us may have even been able to do just that. But this concept of upward social mobilization can be increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to realize when there is no recognition, analysis and dismantling of systemic oppression. Being poor doesn’t just mean you didn’t have enough will to succeed. It could possibly mean you had barriers to opportunity or that the benefits of those opportunities were relatively unknown.

The value and impact of equity demands remedies to redress historic injustices that have prevented or diminished access in the first place: for, just as there can be no fairness without equality, there can be none without justice. I often end presentations with a poignant warning from Dr. Martin Luther King to the U.S.:

“There is nothing more dangerous than to build a society [city/neighborhood] with a large segment of people in that society [city/ neighborhood] who feel they have no stake in it; who feel they have nothing to lose. People who have a stake in their society [city/neighborhood] protect that society [city/ neighborhood]; but when they don’t have it, they unconsciously destroy it.“ The rebuilding of New Orleans 73 neighborhoods and the dismantling of nearly 300 years of systemic oppression have often been challenging; sometimes seen as though we are not taking advantage of the post-Katrina “do-over.” Not so. Progress has been. While there is more work to be done, there is a need for everyone to be partners at the table, in body and spirit, to find solutions for problems in our City. We know that working together is more difficult than alone, with its compromises and tradeoffs that will naturally occur. But like the very democracy we uphold, we believe iron sharpens iron, and we are made better, the impact of our work further reaching and the sustainability of our cause more viable through our collective work. We must claim equity the same way we have claimed innovation. We need policy conversations that serve as the foundation for economic growth and inclusion, because this base can set the stage for our future and solve the problems - unemployment, violence and poverty - that exist. I invite you to join us in building, promoting and knitting together the fabric of civic engagement for the city and neighborhoods we want to be moving forward.

Victor Gordon, Board Chair, Pontilly Neighborhood Association Wendy Laker, Vice Chair, Mid-City Neighborhood Organization Tilman Hardy, Secretary, Leonidas/Pensiontown

Neighborhood Association

Ryan Albright, CBNO Karen Chabert, Irish Channel Neighborhood Association Sylvia Scineaux-Richard, ENONAC Katherine Prevost, Upper Ninth Ward Bunny Friend

Neighborhood Association

Third Party Submission Issues Physical submissions on paper, CD, etc. cannot be returned unless an arrangement is made. Submissions may be edited and may be published or otherwise reused in any medium. By submitting any notes, information or material, or otherwise providing any material for publication in the newspaper, you are representing that you are the owner of the material, or are making your submission with the consent of the owner of the material, all information you provide is true, accurate, current and complete.

Non-Liability Disclaimers The Trumpet may contain facts, views, opinions, statements and recommendations of third party individuals and organizations.

The Trumpet does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement or other information in the publication and use of or reliance on such advice, opinion, statement or other information is at your own risk.

Copyright © 2014 Neighborhoods Partnership Network. All Rights Reserved.

Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express written consent of Neighborhoods Partnership Network is expressly prohibited.

Timolynn Sams Sumter 2

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

N E I G H B O R H O O D S

P A R T N E R S H I P

N E T W O R K

Contents

The Trumpet

4 Meet Our Summer Issue Contributors 5 CANO’s Treme Cultural Census 8 BP Settlement to Address N. O. East Healthcare 14 In Our Opinion: Equity at the Ballot Box 20 2014 OPEA Title Awardees Announced 23 CeCe’s 20 Thoughts with Sara Stokes

and Parity for All: 15 Equity Is it Possible in New Orleans?

Honey Loaf - Serving 12 Feature: Sandwiches With Style

New Orleans Have a Future in 17 Does STEM?

The Trumpet Editorial Board

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The Roux to the Gumbo: Equity in the Cultural Economy and Tricentennial Planning

The Trumpet Editorial Staff

Jewel Bush, SEIU Local 21 LA

Rachel D. Graham, Editor-in-Chief

Christy Chapman, Author

Scott Bicking, Art Director

Kelsey Foster, Committee for A Better New Orleans Heidi Hickman, Resident Elton Jones, New Orleans Rising Naomi King Englar, Tulane Prevention Research Center Linedda McIver, AARP Louisiana Ray Nichols, Maple Area Residents, Inc. Brian Opert, Talk Show Host, WGSO 990 AM Valerie Robinson, Old Algiers Main Street Corporation

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

3321 Tulane Avenue New Orleans, LA 70119 504.940.2207 • FX 504.940.2208 thetrumpet@npnnola.com npnnola.nationbuilder.com

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Contributors

Alexandra Miller

As the Principal of Miller Urban Consulting, Alexandra Miller offers program management, urban planning/GIS, research and strategic planning services as a consultant in the New Orleans area.

Currently, she is working with New Orleansbased Crescent City Community Land Trust on projects to secure long-term affordability in some of the city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods.

Stephen Bradberry

Stephen Bradberry , the Executive Director of Alliance Institute, is a veteran community organizer who has worked with low- and moderate-income families and individuals for over 20 years. His work has centered on organizing public interest campaigns to actively involve low-income families in addressing the social problems they face everyday. campaigns promoting a living wage, preventing predatory lending, lead poisoning prevention in children, increasing voter participation, disaster recovery, and access to health.

Flozell Daniels, Jr.

Flozell Daniels, Jr. has served as the President and CEO of the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation (LDRF), now the Foundation for Louisiana, since December 2007. Its mission is to invest in people and practices that work to reduce vulnerability and build stronger, more sustainable communities statewide. Prior to LDRF, Daniels served as the Executive Director of State and Local Affairs of Tulane University, after doing a stint as an Urban Policy Specialist for the City of New Orleans.

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THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

Treme Cultural Census Building the case for greater investment in creative artists and producers

By Taylor Triplett

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he Creative Alliance of New Orleans (CANO) has set out to develop a more precise count of creative and cultural artists and workers in the New Orleans area in order to help secure greater public and private commitments for the creative sector of our economy. It piloted the Treme Cultural Census Project in partnership with Tulane’s Creative Labor class that first developed the design of the survey in the fall of 2013 and continued through Spring 2014 with the implementation of the pilot survey. The goal is to determine the number of artists and cultural producers residing in the historic Tremé Neighborhood. Tulane professor Vicki Mayer oversaw the project.

Ph.D. candidate Heidi Schmalbach led the project, bringing a class of 18 Tulane students out into the neighborhood in early January. Students knocked on more than 700 doors, ultimately administering the survey to 116 residents over the course of several weeks. This pilot showed a high percentage of residents living in the Tremé that were involved in the creative economy. Of the 116 homes surveyed, an artist or cultural worker resided in 48 of them.

With confirmation of the underlying assumption that the number of cultural workers in a given neighborhood of the city would be high, CANO decided to continue the survey into the summer and beyond with the goal of reaching the entire Tremé neighborhood. The Treme Cultural Census Project is now working to build the Census team with Tremé residents. The survey also includes questions on neighborhood change and availability of support for residents’ artwork in the area.

CANO recognizes that the Tremé is a unique neighborhood; one that is rapidly changing due to a number of factors. Because of this, a second phase of the project includes the Treme Oral Histories Project. This project seeks to identify and preserve the unique voices and histories of Tremé residents, adding qualitative information to supplement the quantitative data the survey will produce.

CANO Executive Director Jeanne Nathan says, “These documented histories, in tandem with the Treme Cultural Census, will increase awareness of the needs of cultural artists and producers and will help secure support for them as well

as for cultural institutions and venues. CANO hopes the survey will encourage similar surveys in other neighborhoods of the city to best establish the full scope of the creative sector and its potential if better supported.”

CANO also hopes the survey will help grow the Downtown Neighborhood Improvement Association (DNIA) that is dedicated to the cultural enhancement of historic neighborhoods, community interaction, economic development and community security. The DNIA hopes to replenish the organization’s leadership and membership that have struggled since the storm. Surveyors will ask residents if they are interested in getting news of the organization’s meetings and activities.

CANO will also integrate students in area high schools into the Oral Histories Project as part of its Creative Futures program that aims to help students learn of educational and career opportunities in the creative industries. Students will learn how to conduct oral histories, write about them and become conversant in the cultural traditions and current developments in the arts. The aim is to develop skills that can lead to jobs as tour, cultural, and community guides.

Both projects are seeking volunteers, citywide, with an emphasis on individuals that live or work in the Tremé and are familiar with the neighborhood.

Prior training in any applicable fields is appreciated but not required.

Volunteering opportunities are open to all throughout the summer and into the fall.

For more information, contact Kali Snellings, Treme Cultural Census Project Manager via email at Snellings@cano-la.org.

The Creative Alliance of New Orleans (CANO) was founded in 2008 as a network of cultural and creative producers, professionals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations based in New Orleans, Louisiana, whose mission is to provide training, education, and information for creative artists, cultural producers, and the community; to protect our cultural legacy; and to promote the revitalization of the city as a cultural and economic center.

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THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

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OPEN’s 2014 Legislative Update

By Julia Ramsey, Orleans Public Education Network (OPEN)

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he Orleans Public Education Network’s (OPEN) policy priorities served to advance the critical objectives in four areas of focus: Early Childhood, School Governance, High School Transformation and Common Core State Standards. OPEN was committed to working with the community and policymakers during the 2014 Legislative Session to achieve an enduring impact on the educational landscape. Below is a brief overview of the session’s outcomes.

EARLY CHILDHOOD Senate Bill 533 This bill provides for a Coordinated Local Enrollment Process for publicly funded early care and education programs. It also provided for a neutral entity to inform families about all publicly funded early childhood care and education programs in their community, collect family preferences, develop and use a common application process, and make recommendations to the Department of Education for the distribution of the available slots. After amendments, the local enrollment coordinator no longer must be neutral, and the bill now specifically permits school districts to be the coordinators.

Another important set of amendments will ensure that the funding for the new local enrollment coordinators will not be disproportionately taken from the Child Care and Development Fund Block Grant; rather, now the bill states that the funding for Local Coordinators will be proportionately taken from each funding stream based on the number of children enrolled from each program. Senate Bill 533 was passed into law and now is known as Act 717.

Senate Bill 524 This bill moves responsibility for the licensure of child care centers and registration of family child day care homes from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to the Department of Education (LDE). The bill maintains from the law passed in 2013 the creation of three new Types of licensure: Type

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I (roughly current Class B), Type II (roughly current Class A not taking Child Care Assistance) and Type III (roughly current Class A taking Child Care Assistance and Head Start/Early Head Start programs). It also tightens the state central registry and criminal background check requirements. The bill completely deleted the current statute providing for the Advisory Council to DCFS on Child Care and Early Education without restoring it in LDE. This bill was passed and signed into law.

As passed, there are a number of different effective dates for the provisions of the bill.

• The move of licensure of child care centers to LDE is effective October 1, 2014.

• The move of registration of family child day care homes is effective February 1, 2015.

• Finally, the move of the CCDF Block Grant will take place no later than July 1, 2015, with a cooperative endeavor agreement between the two departments.

A number of important amendments were added to this bill, including an amendment that will allow child care programs that do not have public funds to participate in the new quality rating system. Given the drastic cuts in the Child Care Assistance Program, many centers are not able to access public funding for their families. Another amendment reinstated the Advisory Council on Early Childhood Care and Education as CCDF block grant moves to the Department of Education. The new Council will advise the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE); all regulations, standards, the state plan for the CCDF block grant and other matters related to early care and education must be presented to the Council before they are considered by BESE. The bill now requires in-depth reporting on CCAP participation rates and funding, as well as child care centers’ licensing violation history, to be posted on the Department of Education’s website.

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Senate Bill 622 This bill provides that the state Department of Education (LDE) shall develop and implement a statewide educational technology plan that ensures that every public elementary and secondary school and classroom has the infrastructure and capacity necessary to provide a high-quality, digital instructional environment. Presumably pre-K classrooms in the schools will be covered by this plan; however, community-based programs such as child care centers and Head Start/Early Head Start programs will not. This bill was passed and signed into law.

House Concurrent Resolution 61 HCR 61 urges and requests the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop a statewide model for the equitable funding of quality early childhood care and education for Louisiana children ages birth to five and to submit a report with recommendations to the legislature no later than sixty days prior to the 2015 Session. This bill was passed and signed into law.

House Concurrent Resolution 61 HCR 61 urges and requests the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop a statewide model for the equitable funding of quality early childhood care and education for Louisiana children ages birth to five and to submit a report with recommendations to the legislature no later than sixty days prior to the 2015 Session. This bill was passed and signed into law.

House Bill 957 This bill repeals the current LA 4 statute but maintains its funding structure, whereby only school districts can apply to the state for the program. The bill does, however, delete the old formula for determining how much each district will receive and provides that BESE will develop a method for equitably distributing the LA 4 funds based on demand. This bill was passed and signed into law.

GOVERNANCE Senate Bill 36 This bill requires notification to certain elected officials regarding submission and status of certain charter school applications. This bill was passed and signed into law.

Senate Bill 56 This bill requires secondary and postsecondary education boards to participate in regular meetings regarding articulation and transfer policies and agreements. This bill was passed and signed into law.

HIGH SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION House Bill 944 This bill is also referred to as the Jump Start bill. Jump Start is the state’s effort to provide high school students with career education that leads to highwage jobs. HB 944 puts several parts of the initiative into law.

The bill: • Gives the career diploma equal standing with the traditional high school diploma; • Requires school districts to develop at least one BESE-approved career major program aligned with state and regional workforce demands. Local business and industry leaders, higher education leaders and economic development agencies will collaborate to match local needs;

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THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

• Allows students to enter this track as late as 10th grade, rather than eighth grade; • Allows students to enter this track as late as 10th grade, rather than eighth grade; and • Strengthens career major programs by requiring them to lead to an industry-based and nationally recognized credential.

Awarding of a career diploma will count the same as a traditional diploma in school performance scores. It allows career diploma seekers to take the WorkKeys job skills assessment, in addition to the required ACT test, and use the higher of the two scores for school and district accountability purposes. All Louisiana public postsecondary institutions will be required to recognize the career diploma. This bill sponsored by Representative Jim Fannin was passed and signed into law.

House Bill 968 This bill provides that each school district and charter school that provides instruction to high school pupils may offer a dropout recovery program for eligible pupils. It further states that BESE shall prescribe standards and achievement testing requirements for dropout recovery programs that attempt to ensure that the programs are compatible with public school education goals and requirements.

COMMON CORE House Bill 953-Leger Legislation providing for Louisiana’s implementation of federal Common Core standards was vetoed by Governor Bobby Jindal after successfully passing through the legislature as the 2014 session concluded. The Common Core State Standards outlined by Rep. Walt Leger (D-New Orleans) in House Bill 953 establish clarity about what students should know and be able to do when completing each K-12 grade in math and English language arts. Louisiana and most other states adopted the standards a few years ago, but a few states are backing off.

The legislation was seen as a compromise on Common Core and an effort to make sure Louisiana kept the educational benchmarks overall. Common Core proponents were concerned that lawmakers wary of the penalties associated with Common Core testing might vote with more persuasive anti-Common Core legislators to repeal the standards. So Leger’s bill was designed to delay any effect of the Common Core-related test, to address the concerns of lawmakers who were on the fence. Teachers and schools would have had three years to get used to the test before they would be penalized for poor scores. BESE has currently given them a two-year reprieve.

The BESE recently sought after legal counsel to address Governor Bobby Jindal’s executive orders regarding the Common Core standardize testing. In a June 10th letter to the Governor, BESE also proposed a compromise to the standardized test that will be administered for the 2014-15 school year. The compromise would keep Common Core questions on the 2014-15 LEAP tests, but would also integrate Louisiana-specific questions, addressing a specific request from Governor Jindal. BESE members are scheduled to meet with Governor Jindal on July 17th to discuss a clear path forward.

Editor’s Note: As of this writing, the July 17th meeting between Governor Jindal and state Superintendent of Education John White had rendered no solution to the Common Core State Standards impasse.

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PORTION OF $105 MILLION BP SETTLEMENT TO HELP INCREASE

HEALTHCARE ACCESS IN NEW ORLEANS EAST VIET, New Orleans East Louisiana Community Health Center to take part in GRHOP initiative led by the Alliance Institute

The Alliance Institute recently announced that a portion of a $105 million settlement awarded to communities in 17 Gulf Coast counties and parishes - including Orleans Parish - will be used to increase access to healthcare for residents. Alliance, which played an integral role in securing the settlement, has been charged with overseeing the community involvement efforts of the Gulf Region Health Outreach Program (GRHOP), a five-year program dedicated to strengthening healthcare, health literacy and resiliency of communities affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. Efforts will target members of the settlement class - the uninsured and medically underserved - in Alabama, Louisiana, Florida and Mississippi. GRHOP participants include Boat People SOS-Gulf Coast (BPSOS) of Bayou Labatre, AL; Bayou Interfaith Shared Community Organizing (BISCO) of Thibodaux, LA; Steps Coalition of Biloxi, MS; and Vietnamese Initiatives in Economic Training (VIET) in New Orleans East.

“The Alliance Institute is honored to be working with non-profit organizations across the Gulf Coast region as part of the GRHOP program,” said Stephen Bradberry, Executive Director of the Alliance Institute. “Immediately following the oil disaster, the Alliance Institute held listening sessions across the region and received feedback from citizens that the lack of access to adequate health care was a major concern. For us to now be working with organizations from those same communities is fulfilling and a testament to what can happen when communities are organized to give voice to their solutions for the issues that confront them,” Bradberry added.

The GRHOP initiative brings together four integrated projects: the Primary Care Capacity Project, Mental and Behavioral Health Project, Environmental Health Capacity and Literacy Project, and Community Health Workers Training Project. VIET has been tasked by the Alliance Institute to leverage GRHOP funding in their work with partners such as the New Orleans East Louisiana Community Health Center (NOELA CHC) to significantly increase its work in New Orleans East. A federally qualified health center (FQHC), NOELA CHC will transition into a new 9,000-squarefoot, state-of-the-art facility in the fall, also partially funded by GRHOP. “We are excited to be part of the team to lead the community engagement component and to engage communities, said Cyndi Nguyen, Executive Director of

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VIET. “As a local organization, community engagement is one of the key components to creating healthy communities. I appreciate and want to commend the Alliance Institute for including the community engagement component in this project, because often times it is excluded from large projects,” Nguyen added.

NOELA CHC will be equipped with bilingual workers, have more service offering and will create jobs for the New Orleans East community, further improving community infrastructure and sustainability. Services will include: comprehensive primary and preventive health services for the whole family, integrated behavioral health programs, chronic disease management, wellness programs, case management and social services. VIET will promote the facilities opening while supporting overall community engagement efforts in the East.

“NOELA CHC is delighted to be a partner with GRHOP,” said Diem Nguyen, Chief Executive Officer. “As a local community health center, we are honored to be the provider of access to comprehensive, affordable, high quality, primary and preventive health care services to the residents of this community,” Nguyen said. “We see this collaboration as a positive endeavor for the advancement of a healthier community.”

For more information about the GRHOP Initiative, please visit www. theallianceinstitute.org/grhop-overview.

Alliance Institute is 501(c)(3) organization that provides community organizing training and technical assistance to non-profits and community based organizations in New Orleans and across the gulf south. With a primary goal of increasing economic and social justice through community engagement, Alliance Institute works to provide individuals, families, and organizations with the skills and tools they need to fully participate in the decision making processes that affect them in their homes, neighborhoods and communities.

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

CORE USA: Building a Sustainable New Orleans

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ew Orleanians are no strangers to the stresses of summer. Even with the promise of pool parties, barbecues and lazy evenings on the front porch with friends and family, the constant heat and humidity can take its toll on our nerves…and our houses. Our city is located in a subtropical zone, something that keeps us a few degrees warmer year round, but also puts a lot of wear and tear on our buildings.

Not surprisingly, when your home can’t handle this intense weather, your bank account is usually the first thing to suffer. But the cost of air conditioning an improperly weatherized home is just one of many problems you could be facing.

Outdated building codes and improper construction can create health, safety, comfort and durability concerns throughout your building, draining your wallet, making you sick and hurting the planet. That’s why CORE USA is passionate about helping home and business owners create sustainable environments.

After Hurricane Katrina, talk of rebuilding a better, stronger city was on everyone’s lips. At CORE USA, we agonized over the thought of raising our children in a city completely unprepared to deal with the negative consequences of its historic inequality, environmental degradation and climate change. That’s why we’ve established a network of some of the region’s top sustainability professionals. We’ve worked tirelessly to raise the standards to which contractors must comply; to elevate building performance and standards of living to higher levels; to bring housing and utility costs down; to create more demand for sustainable building technology in the form of educated consumers; and to create more competent and diverse supply chains for sustainable development projects throughout the Deep South. We take a holistic, triple bottom line approach to doing business, assessing any environmental, economic, cultural or social impact a project may have on its key stakeholders. Over the years, our certified technicians have helped increase the health, safety, comfort, durability and energy efficiency of thousands of homes and businesses. Our goal is to help the South become a global leader in building sustainable structures, but our focus isn’t just on buildings – we aim to improve the lives of our clients by providing them with healthy, affordable, earth-friendly places to call home. With this in mind, we’re proud to announce the newest addition to the CORE USA mission, The Build Center.

Opening in August at 2360 St. Claude Avenue, The Build Center is the realization of our founder Tilman Hardy’s dream to create a place for home and business-owners to connect with sustainability experts, learn best practices and new technologies through groundbreaking classes and workshops, and find the help that they need for constructing and renovating both sustainably and affordably. The Build Center will serve as an incubator for sustainability experts, housing the offices of multiple local and regional organizations, including The Alliance for Affordable Energy. Join us in August for our grand opening celebration, including a workshop on Energy Efficiency vs. Solar Energy. Find more information on CORE USA and The Build Center at www.coreusa.org.

Left to Right: Alex Selico-Dunn, District Mgr. for City Council District E; LaVerne Saulny, NO Regional Rep. for Sen. Mary Landrieu; James Fondren, Community Liaison for Sen. David Vitter; LaToya Cantrell, NO City Councilwoman District B; Tilman Photograph Credit: Mary Crooks Hardy, CEO/Founder of CORE USA; Timothy Adams, Energy Policy & Program Mgr. for the City of NO; Nick Harris, Asst. VP of Community & Economic Development, Dillard University; Mike Ballard, Chief Admin. Officer of CORE USA. Photo by Jodi Stiede.

CORE USA is an established network of the South’s top sustainability experts.

Our consultants and trainers help home and business owners make the right choices to increase energy efficiency while reaping the benefits of affordable, safer, and more durable buildings. Visit us at www.coreusa.org to learn more about how we can help you, and to sign up to receive more information about the grand opening of our new St. Claude Avenue headquarters, The Build Center, in August 2014.

CORE SERVICES Architecture Construction Development Solar Energy Home Energy Assessments Energy Efficiency / Building Performance Consulting Tax Credit, Grant & Loan Consulting Sustainability Workshops & Training To learn more, visit us at

www.coreusa.org info@coreusa.org

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

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Older Adults Looking for Work Find Real Possibilities at Delgado College

By Carl Bakenhus, AARP Louisiana

D

ressed in her best business attire and a freshly updated resume in hand, Alicia gets in the zone ready to land a steady, fulfilling job. But there’s a catch. Alicia isn’t a typical twenty something showing up to land a dream job. She’s 57. She’s been out of work for six months, and she’s joined hundreds of other seasoned professionals in New Orleans who are looking to put their skills and 20-year experience to work.

This is not your typical job fair. Hosted by AARP Louisiana and Delgado Community College, it connects older adults with employment opportunities and fellow job seekers and provides resources older workers need to navigate today’s work environment. Though the participants are not newcomers, their eyes are nevertheless wide with the vision of more enjoyable employment and answers to the ever-present question, “What’s next?”

“It was thrilling to see folks network and explore opportunities at the fair. I like that our website helps people strengthen their connections online, especially since the job market can be rough these days,” said Linedda McIver, Multicultural Outreach Director, AARP Louisiana.

Since the mid-1980’s, older workers have been working longer. The decline of traditional pensions, inadequate savings and, now, the losses in jobs and wealth

due to the Great Recession mean that millions of older Americans face a future of economic insecurity unless they are able to work.

The unemployment rate for older workers has soared in recent years, and, once out of work, older jobseekers experience far longer spells of unemployment – nearly a year, on average—than their counterparts. And when they do land a new job, it’s often for less money, which can have a devastating impact on older workers’ longterm financial security and ability to live independently as they age.

Delgado’s job fair is part of AARP’s Life Reimagined for Work initiative that helps experienced workers like Alicia achieve their employment goals and helps employers solve their current and future staffing challenges by hiring experienced workers.

Delgado’s Interim Chancellor Debbie Lea will sign the Life Reimagined for Work Pledge, joining hundreds of employers nationwide who have agreed to be open to the value an older worker brings to the workplace, implement non-discriminatory human resource policies and access immediate hiring needs for mature workers.

Delgado prides itself on strengthening the New Orleans workforce and, as a part of the Life Reimagined for Work initiative, has committed to value experience.When to start receiving Social Security benefits is a tough question that only you can answer.

But AARP’s retirement calculator can help you figure out if waiting to retire makes financial sense. AARP is helping baby boomers envision their life after work and can provide them with the proper resources to envision what is next for their future.

Older workers can also find support on the Life Reimagined for Work Website at workreimagined.aarp.org. Now the 50 and over population can expand their horizons and connect online by leveraging their LinkedIn networks. If starting a new business is what people are looking to do, the website provides the technical support and the social interest crucial to commercial success. Others can explore and manage their career options by reading business-oriented articles and sharing their story in online discussions with their peers.

The Senior Community Service Employment program in New Orleans provides training and networking support for financially struggling unemployed older workers. If you share these concerns, contact their office at (504) 822-2671.

With the budding opportunities online and off, as well as the responsibilities taken by employers such as Delgado, America’s fastest growing demographic can rest a little easier and dream a lot bigger.

70 percent of older Louisianans surveyed say they’ve seen or experienced age discrimination on the job. That’s why AARP is urging Congress to pass the bipartisan Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA.) The legislation would fix a Supreme Court decision that makes it easier to discriminate against older workers. Special thanks to Congressman Cedric Richmond for supporting this legislation and joining our fight to ensure workers are treated fairly regardless of age.

Age discrimination doesn’t work for Louisiana.

Tell Senators Landrieu and Vitter to support POWADA so every Louisiana worker is judged on their skills and abilities.

Sign the petition at aarp.org/fightback

facebook.com/AARPLouisiana @AARPLouisiana aarp.org/LA

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THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

Equity, Inclusion &

Economic Growth Photograph Credit: Mary Crooks

Is the tide rising fairly across all neighborhoods in the City of New Orleans?

Recent headlines and economic development figures would lead many to believe the answer to that question to be, “Yes.” But in its New Orleans Index at Eight, The Data Center (formerly known as the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center) lifted a number of indicators suggesting the contrary; the most stark of which being the 52 percent unemployment rate amongst African-American men. Add to that city’s inordinately high prison population; the Louisiana’s position of having the second-worst gender pay gap in the U.S.; stagnant participation by minority- and women-owned businesses in the city’s economic boom; and the newest area of inequity and marginalization, access to landownership ... this city’s ability to make ALL neighborhoods great places to live would seem to be in jeopardy. But there is hope. Stakeholders have heard the alarm and are engaging in dialogue and action to stem the uneven tide of attainment in education, innovation, job growth, access to contracting opportunities and the honoring and equitable inclusion of local artisans in the booming cultural econony. The next few pages highlight some of the challenges, opportunities and possible solutions to make the notion of an evenly rising economic tide a very possible reality.

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In Memoriam:

Jim Belfon

Honey Loaf

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Serving up sandwiches in style

recent report by the National Partnership for Women and Families in Washington, D.C., ranked Louisiana the second worst state in equitable pay between genders, with men making, on average, 33 percent more than women in the work place. This translated into more than a $15,000-per-year difference in average salary. When considering African-American women versus their white male counterparts, the gap widens to more than 50 percent. It is a widely held believe that increased minority representation in businessownership holds a possible solution to this trend. These thoughts were echoed by Stephen Moret, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Economic Development as he sited data indicating that the ranks and revenue of women-owned business had doubled in the past five years; a promising sign. Nerissa Reaves, the owner of Honey Loaf - a stylish, centrally located sandwich lounge on Canal Street - hopes those results start to trickle down to the city level and quickly. Reaves recently sat down with The NPN Trumpet to discuss the joys and the pains of smallbusiness ownership as a woman of color in the City of New Orleans.

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THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

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erissa Reaves lives the typical, somewhat hectic, existence of an entrepreneur in the foodservices business. Juggle the responsibilities of day-to-day operations for Honey Loaf - A Sandwich Lounge can sometimes take its toll ... as it almost did on the day of our interview.

Feeling under the weather, Reaves almost couldn’t make it. But a little hot tea and a quiet moment to regroup had her almost as good as new and ready to have a candid conversation about the reality of small business ownership in one of the most competitive hospitality markets in the country.

Ironically, this was not her original plan. The New Haven, Connecticut, native originally came to New Orleans as a schoolteacher who wanted to help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. As a casualty of the layoffs that left thousands of teachers without jobs, Reaves literally had no idea what was next. A good friend encouraged Nerissa to focus her energy on considering the possibilities, asking her what she would do if money were not an issue. “I told him, ‘Well, I could see myself owning a coffee shop.’” At his urging, she committed the idea to paper. He looked it over and then told her he had a group of investors he wanted to introduce her to. “I presented the idea to this group, and they said, ‘Okay, we’ll give you the money.’ I said, ‘You’re gonna give money to me ... the broke teacher?’” And in a seldom heard of move, they did.

But there was one problem ... she didn’t have a location, and it took her a while to find one. “I put in different offers all over the city and nothing hit,” Reaves says. “I was right at the point where I was ready to give up on the whole idea. I told my team, ‘I’m just going to put the money into a franchise.’” But at the recommendation of one of her advisers, she looked at one final property - Honey Loaf’s current home in the New Orleans BioInnovation Center (NOBIC) at 1441 Canal Street. It was intimidating because the space was so appealing. Lesser locations had already turned her away.

If there is a consistent theme in Reaves’ story, it is always rely on the kindness of strangers. “I had to revamp the concept to be more than just coffee because, at the time, there was nothing to eat over here. So I took it to the owner of the building and he said, ‘ Not only do I love the concept and will I let you be in the building, but I will help you build it, too.’ I worked in partnership with NOBIC to bring Honey Loaf to fruition. They really believe in and support small business. I definitely have to give thanks to them for that support.”

Over the next several months, the dream of serving freshly made sandwiches with premium coffee became a reality. It wasn’t an easy task. As with many restaurant projects, unforeseen construction delays pushed the restaurant’s opening back. But with perseverance - and elbow grease, as Nerissa had a hand in all aspects of the restaurant’s construction - Honey Loaf opened in September of 2012.

Echoing a common concern amongst small business owners, Nerissa sites the lack of operating capital when considering some of the early and current challenges

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EN C S IP

to opening the restaurant. “I’m pretty insightful about what it takes to do this kind of undertaking, and I knew coming in I was underfunded. So I would love to have a packed restaurant, but that requires additional tables. And I may not have the cash on hand to do that.” And as is the case with many entrepreneurs, it has taken its toll on her personal finances. “I was the one who had a 750 credit score, paid my bills on time. But I was sacrificing and foregoing a salary to keep Honey Loaf afloat.” Thus, she has added navigating the impending foreclosures of two homes to the pressures of running a business.

An additional challenge is the lack of staff to take on the day-to-day operations and provide guidance in how to sustain the restaurant. “I think a fresh set of eyes to look at the business could help. Ideally, I would like to bring on a general manager who has done this before ... who has some insight and expertise that I don’t have.”

She knows she has a strong product and believes that with the right exposure and an experienced staff, Honey Loaf can do really well, especially in light of the impending boom that will accompany the completion of the medical center.

Sadly, when asked if she believes the tide of economic growth is rising in a fair and equitable way, she gave a resounding and unequivocal, “Absolutely not.” She went on to share that the fact that she is a woman of color has hendered her success as well. “I know for a fact that if I weren’t an [attractive] African-American women, there are certain challenges I would not face. I have even had people tell me that I should let someone else be the face of this business” because there is a perception that pretty women cannot run businesses and can be found intimidating.

There’s no sign of her taking a backseat anytime soon. “I am the backbone, so that’s not going to happen right now.” She is a recent graduate of the GoldmanSachs 10,000 Small Businesses Initiative and has been equipped with some of the practical concepts of maintaining a small business. She also operates a thriving catering business that helps develop awareness around the quality of the Honey Loaf product.

And in the coming months, she will launch a competitive concierge program rewarding referrals from area hotels.

While the weight and obstacles of being a minority woman-owned business are daunting, Nerissa is resolute in sticking with it. “[The challenge] drives me. I have lost so much personal stuff, I can’t lose this.”

Honey Loaf - A Sandwich Lounge New Orleans BioInnovation Center, 1441 Canal Street , (504) 309-1477 To learn more about Honey Loaf - A Sandwich Lounge and view a menu, visit them at www.thehoneyloaf.com. You can also like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/thehoneyloaf.

E.

OR T S I H

HOMEGROWN AND HANDMADE SINCE 1791

TING. T E S IC

Open Daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Historic French Market

Seafood, baked goods & produce vendors in the Farmers Market

Free events year-round • Family-friendly • Open Daily Yoga classes, cooking demos & walking tours weekly New boutique retail shops • Al fresco dining • Live music

Flea Market features local artisans daily

“ French Market New Orleans” FrenchMktNOLA THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

Visit WWW.FRENCHMARKET.ORG for a calendar of events, shop and restaurant listings, and parking information

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In Our Opinion:

Equity at the Ballot Box

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Fair Elections CAN’T Be for Sale

followed the spring legislative session in Louisiana closely because of my concerns with issues about health care, criminal justice, education and the environment — to name a few. Everywhere I looked, I saw the influence of big money. CEOs and corporations used their extraordinary wealth to railroad over our human rights just to safeguard their own private interests despite the fact that they pollute and poison our environment, keep us locked in prisons, starve us of health care, starve us of decent living wages, starve us of a decent education and the list goes on.

I watched testimony after testimony from “Koch-backed” Americans for Prosperity and the Tea Party that killed any legislation to increase public health coverage; testimony after testimony from oil and gas companies playing our elected politicians — the same politicians WE PAY good salaries to — like puppets on a string to kill environmental restoration.

If turnouts over the weekend showing “Koch Bros. Exposed” — a 2012 US documentary, compiled by Robert Greenwald — is any indication, extreme wealth disparity and the money that corrupts politics is very much on the minds of Americans.

I urge Sen. Mary Landrieu to listen to the people’s wish and vote yes on S.J. Res. 19, which calls for a constitutional amendment to re-establish the authority of Congress and the states to regulate and limit campaign spending. The Senate is expected to vote later this summer. Already, 43 senators have joined as sponsors.

The amendment would overturn Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and its misguided holding that corporations have the same First Amendment rights as real, live, breathing human beings to influence election outcomes. It would overturn McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, with its holding that the only justification for limits on campaign donations is to prevent criminal bribery. And it would overturn Buckley v. Valeo — the case holding that “money equals speech.”

I hope that Landrieu is willing to level the playing field for her constituents by not allowing unlimited amounts of private money to be donated to public campaigns so that elected officials are truly representatives of the people.

Janet Hays human rights advocate New Orleans

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Yes, A Sista Can!

ecently, the Higher Heights Leadership Fund, a national 501(c)(3) organization focused on investing in a long-term strategy to analyze, expand and support a Black women’s leadership pipeline, and the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers University released a groundbreaking report on the State of Black Women in American Politics. The reports findings were startling to say the least, bot h for the nation as a whole and specifically for the state of Louisiana.

Simply put, there is a shortage of black women in the legislature and in local leadership positions. Louisiana is one of 37 states never to send an AfricanAmerican woman to congress, though we’ve gotten close. In 2006, State Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, a Black female Democractic candidate, came in strong second in the general election and run-off.The irony? She ultimate lost to a Republican candidate in a heavily Democractic district with a majority AfricanAmerican population. Additonally, New Orleans has never elected a woman, black or white, to serve in key municipal leadership roles including mayor or district attorney though women are in the majority.

It begs the question, “Why?” In my opinion, women we can be our own worst enemy if we aren’t careful. In many cases, we won’t even vote for women without encouragement or endorsement from our male counterparts. choice.

In Louisiana women lack support from other women. I think it to be the same

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for black women. There are a limited number of political women’s organizations.

While we do have organizations such as the Louisiana Federation of Republican Women, the Independent Women’s Organization and Caddo Bossier Federation of Democratic Women to name a few, that’s not nearly enough on the state level.

Also, we need an increase in national support of entities such as Emily’s List and the Women’s Campaign School at Yale which offer training However, when they are searching for places to host trainings, Louisiana is rarely that choice. And in the case when trainings are held, New Orleans is more than likely the city chosen and women from the northern parts of the state have to make the long drive in order to participate. So, every now and then, it wouldn’t hurt if trainings were offered in Lake Charles, Shreveport or Alexandria.

Additionally, men and women tend to hold black femalecandidates to an extremely high standard. I’m not suggestion that a Black woman is playing the race card. It’s just that she must be spotless in everyway because she is already being doubted. Sometimes that doubt can even come from close relatives and friends. “Why are YOU running?” is a question she often faces. As your inner circle is typically the place from where your first contributions originate, that makes fundraising more difficult for black women. She must “prove” herself every time she steps into a meeting, social setting or even in her personal life.

Women tend to have to be nearly perfect creatures in their quests for public office. If they carry too much baggage, they’re automatically counted out. Women who step out on a limb to take a chance at running for office can’t seem to be cold hearted or lack the ability to finance her campaign. Sadly, she won’t be taken seriously. From talking with black women in government across Louisiana and working with colleagues who differ in ethnicity, the only critical challenge is those black women have to prove that they’re serious about their job in public service. For others, no one ever questions why they are in office.

That’s just not the case for black women. Black women have to work hard each day to overcome the “baby mama” and angry woman stereotypes.

Municipal races are unique to their area. If a black woman wants to be mayor, they have to have what I call the 3 F’s & a double C : Finance; The Fine Factor (attractive personality & features); Family; Character; and Career. If her image is too distorted by her life’s history or in someway she lacks, it would be difficult for her to win. I have worked on campaigns in state and out of state when people elect their city leaders it’s usually based on these qualities. I believe major cities are still waiting on some black woman with the 3F’s & a Double C to appear. Great examples are Baltimore’s Mayor Stephanie RawlingsBlack, D.C. Mayoral candidate Muriel Bowser & even in our own state St. John Parish President Natalie Robottom. All three of these women definitely have the 3F’s and a double C! I believe 2016 will be a huge year for black women in politics. We will see more black women be elected to positions across this state because someone will read this and say, “Hey I have what it takes to run, win and lead. I know the barriers that are up against me but I have a duty to serve.” Without doubt or fear she will go for it!

The path to the seat you want is never an easy one. However, put your heels, boots or tennis shoes on and get to strutting to city hall, to the legislature and to congress. If you are a 2016 candidate start working now. 3 or 4 months out from the campaign is too late. Black women must announce earlier, be prepared earlier and work even harder. Whose to say the sista can’t? Yes, the sista can!

Daryl Joy Walter Alumnae, The Women’s Campaign School at Yale Shreveport

To view the executive summary and full report on the State of Black Women in Politics, visit www.higherheightsforamerica.org/reports.

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

Equity and Parity for All: Is it possible in New Orleans?

By Oliver Thomas, Jr.

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s our city and its leaders routinely highlight how far we’ve come since Hurricane Katrina and the shining new example of recovery and progress New Orleans has become, our community is still faced with one of its most difficult challenges. That is building sustainable wealth and creating more opportunity for living wages and benefits among its two largest populations: the African-American community and single women. One would think, with a billion dollar recovery economy and booming travel and convention business, that, nine years after Katrina, these opportunities would have translated into greater wealth creation for two of this city’s most vulnerable populations. The fact, is it hasn’t.

Poverty and economic disparity are nothing new in New Orleans when it comes to African Americans. The late Dr. Peter Dangerfield, longtime executive director of Total Community Action, Inc., did a report several years ago highlighting economic neglect and abuse in New Orleans. Dr. Dangerfield’s report went back many years to find pockets of our city that had never experienced the economic progress or attention that was representative of the tax dollars those distressed communities paid into the system. Whether it was government contracts or private investment, entrepreneurs and business leaders in the African-American community were largely neglected. Even if you curried political favor, there was usually only a crumb or two thrown your way. And if you were the wife of a very successful businessman, you could usually finesse the political environment to at least make sure you had minor consideration. But more often than not, the contracts were never sustainable enough or meaningful enough to transfer from one political term to another. And of course, our city has always been riddled with the curse of “Mad Winners;” so anybody who wasn’t with the new Kings or Queens of politics was usually immediately cut-off with the changing of a guide. Hence, no new, long-term wealth was realized in our neighborhoods or in the African-American business community.

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

Now why is all of this important, especially today? We are about to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina ... and we should. Our city has come a long way, and our citizens and the survivorship of New Orleans residents deserves special recognition. But ten years later, the disparity gap in earnings between Blacks and Whites is ten percent worse. Single women struggle just to make it onto the economic radar, with Louisiana has being called one of the worst places in the nation for a woman to be treated equally. And of course, we know how our Duck Dynasty friend feels about African Americans and the LBGT Community. So how far have we really come and how hollow are the celebrations when poverty and economic distress still reign supreme amongst our largest populations?

Well, it’s okay for us to celebrate; okay to highlight the steps we have taken forward. But it’s also time - if we’re serious about crime, education and unemployment - to start including the people who have been locked out, pushed out and left out.

Oliver Thomas, Jr. is the host of The Good Morning Show on WBOK 1230 AM.

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Over a dozen minority entrepreneurs from around the country have spent months meeting online as part of the Risingstars Boot Camp, presented by Techstars, before spending the entire weekend together in person. On Saturday, July 5, 2014, the entrepreneurs met with mentors to put the finishing touches on their pitches, which were held later in the day. (Photo by Matt Wolfe)

Equity Is A Growth Strategy

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By Rodrick T. MIller, President and CEO, New Orleans Business Alliance

ere in New Orleans, we understand wealth inequity like few other places. We’ve lived with its consequences for generations. But today, civic, community and political leaders are more aligned than ever in seeking out and implementing workable solutions.

The New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA), the city’s publicprivate partnership dedicated to economic development, has adopted equity as a growth strategy and is working on several programs to help reduce barriers to wealth and job creation.

One of the most glaring inequities is in minority representation among startup companies and the firms that invest in them. That is why NOLABA is happy to have co-hosted the inaugural event of a new national initiative, PowerMoves.NOLA, during Essence Fest this year. PowerMoves.NOLA, an outgrowth of the City’s economic development plan, ProsperityNOLA, aims to increase the number of minority-owned startup companies with the potential to make it big by providing access to investors and investment, connecting businesses with others who have succeeded and guiding them through the first stages of growth. Because we have a robust ecosystem of support systems and thriving entrepreneurs (we’ve been called the best place to start a business by numerous national media sources), New Orleans is the perfect place to become a hub of minority entrepreneurship.

Historically, minority-owned startups lack both the strong financial backing and connections with successful entrepreneurs that typical high-growth businesses have. This lack of resources means these entrepreneurs cannot sustain themselves and their families while getting a business off the ground.

And they struggle to identify others who can help them grow, like larger businesses that need what they offer or the means to distribute their product or service. PowerMoves.NOLA addresses these challenges. It offers a new path to those resources by connecting financing, expertise, mentors and partners so startups can grow quickly and sustainably.

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In addition to this initiative, NOLABA is collaborating with others to improve provide economic opportunity for all New Orleans residents. Working with Educate Now! and GNO, Inc., NOLABA is developing a new Career Technical Education Program that will be piloted at four local high schools.

This program connects the schools to employers who help provide training in digital media, healthcare and skilled crafts. Along with city government and the business community, we are constantly looking for ways to connect employers and employees, from internships to training programs to full-scale hiring.

NOLABA is also implementing new ways to help New Orleans’ small businesses, the backbone of our economy, take advantage of larger economic development projects. For example, we are working with local large employers – anchors of the community – to foster relationships with our small business owners. Buying from and contracting with New Orleans businesses increases their economic impact and helps ensure long-range prosperity for both.

At NOLABA, we feel strongly that addressing wealth and employment inequities is a cornerstone of long-term economic growth for our city, our businesses and our citizens. We continue to strive to ensure it is an integral part of everything we do.

The New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA) is the official public-private partnership tasked with leading economic development initiatives for the City of New Orleans. NOLABA is a public-private partnership between the City of New Orleans and private investors from the local community. Its creation resulted from a long-term effort by the business community to adopt national best practices in economic development for the growth of Orleans Parish.

The 17-member Board is composed of a cross-section of New Orleans leaders, including New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and a diverse group of business professionals. For more information on NOLABA and Prosperity NOLA, the organization’s five-year plan for economic growth, please visit www.nolaba.org.

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

Does New Orleans Have a Future in STEM?

By Stephen Bradberry, Executive Director, Alliance Institute

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n late June, I participated in NPN’s Equity Breakfast a discussion about equity, inclusion and economic growth in the City of New Orleans.

Interestingly enough, just about a week later I moderated a town hall panel discussion on Inclusion in the Silicon Bayou as part of the Essence Festival’s #YesWeCode Hackathon. The focus of the hackathon was to look ways to bring more people of color into the tech industry via coding and web development.

Ironically, the town hall discussion spent very little time actually discussing coding and much time on where we are, as a community, in New Orleans and the obstacles related to accessing the tech world. There was also much conversation about solutions, which made for a very inspiring evening.

Most importantly for me, the town hall discussion meshed very well with the issue of equity, inclusion and economic growth. And for that reason, I am now a hardcore evangelist for STEM in New Orleans. STEM, for those who are unfamiliar,

stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Whether in computers or other related disciplines, New Orleans can benefit tremendously by adopting a STEM mindset for our youth. I should also mention that STEM goes beyond computer chips, Bunsen burners, and analogs to include the trades on which much of New Orleans black history rests.

STEM is a domino that provides skills for “good paying” jobs which leads to a decrease in crime and an increase in homeownership, small business ownership and entrepreneurism. These all contribute to a higher quality of life, which attracts more business, and so on. STEM sets our young people on a direct path for those high wage jobs as a part of the Silicon Bayou movement. When considering New Orleans role as a part of “Hollywood South,” movies are simply plays without the basic elements of STEM. The coming Health Corridor is set to generate some 40,000 jobs, most of which depend on an understanding of STEM components. Many folks lament the number of programs that are developed to attract new people to the city. STEM offers a pathway for New Orleanians to participate in city’s growth and future outside of the hospitality and retail industries. When we tell our youth that they can be anything they want to be, STEM offers a buffet of opportunities for what that anything can be.

Over the coming months, be on the lookout as we set our sights on uplifting existing STEM programs, creating coding training opportunities and continuing the discussion until it becomes part of regular conversation at the local barber shops and beauty salons. STEM is by no means the end all to be all, but it is a tremendous opportunity for New Orleans residents to take control of the future direction of our city for our young people.

As part of his opening remarks for the town hall, Van Jones of CNN’s Rapid Fire talk show shared a story of a young man with a bird in his hand asking an old, wise man, “Is the bird dead or alive?” After some consideration, the wise man responded, “What I do know regarding the bird’s life or death situation is, either way, it’s in your hands.” New Orleans, the future of our city and its youth is in our hands.

Attendees participated in a Silicon Bayou Town Hall meeting held at Propeller in conjunction with the Essence Music Festival #YesWeCode Hackathon.

(Image courtesy of BuildUp.VC)

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

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Community Land Trusts

An Approach to Creating Long-Term Community Benefits

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By Alexandra Miller, Crescent City Community Land Trust

ommunity land trusts (CLTs) create long-term community ownership of affordable housing, essential commercial services and parks or green spaces, with the central purpose of promoting equity, economic opportunity and a high quality of life for all. The CLT approach focuses on “stewardship,” which means that every investment a CLT makes in a community is part of a long-term strategy to help community residents, homeowners, renters and businesses succeed and thrive.

In short, CLTs hold land and property “in trust” for the community and use this property to create community benefits.

The centerpiece of most CLTs’ work is the creation of permanently affordable housing, which allows CLTs to offer high-quality, well-located housing to generation after generation of residents with low-to-moderate incomes. Studies show that half of low-income homebuyers commit 50 percent or more of their income to paying their mortgage and other home costs. In order to reduce costs and promote successful homeownership for low-income homebuyers, CLTs partner with homebuyers to purchase their home. This partnership remains in place as long as the buyers own the home. CLTs promote homeowners’ long-term financial success with ongoing education in home finances and maintenance as well as helping to provide a safety net if the homeowners lose a job or have another financial setback. When the home is sold, the owners receive a fair return on their investment to use for the purchase of their next home, while the CLT uses its return on investment to keep the home affordable for the next homebuyer.

CLTs also work to keep rental housing affordable for the long-term. Often, federal or state programs that provide for the construction of affordable rental properties have relatively short expiration dates; meaning that after 10 or 15 years, the affordability restrictions on these homes expire, and the properties can then be rented or sold at market-rate. The taxpayer money that is invested to make these properties affordable therefore has a fairly short-term impact. Taking the CLT approach can lengthen affordability periods for rental housing to 50 years or more, keeping the homes affordable for generations and preserving the scarce government subsidies that create this housing. The long-term approach to affordable rental housing is especially important in New Orleans today, as our rental prices have skyrocketed since Hurricane Katrina while the incomes of our population have not kept up.

Not all CLTs work on commercial development, but those that do focus on creating commercial assets critical to neighborhood health and resilience

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and helping small businesses succeed. Many CLTs focus on critical community services, including grocery stores and non-profit health clinics. Others help support local entrepreneurs and small businesses by providing spaces with appropriate rental rates, manageable sizes, good locations and well-designed storefronts. CLTs’ commercial tenants often enhance the local business landscape, increasing the number of dollars spent in the community while providing services that residents need. Commercial development fits into CLTs’ “stewardship” goal of creating sustainable communities with thriving commercial and residential centers where everyone has an opportunity to succeed.

In New Orleans, Crescent City Community Land Trust (www.ccclt.org) acts as a citywide CLT working on affordable housing and commercial development for community benefit. Neighborhood-based land trusts include the Lower 9th Ward Neighborhood Empowerment Network Association (NENA - www.9thwardnena. org), which works to develop affordable housing in the Lower 9th Ward area, and the Jane Place Neighborhood Sustainability Initiative (JPNSI - jpnsi.org), which develops affordable housing in Mid-City.

As CLTs engage in residential, commercial and vacant land development, community control of land is always the guiding principle. The CLT approach preserves public investment for affordable housing and other community development initiatives for the benefit of neighborhoods and their residents, keeping as a guiding principle the idea community assets should remain under community control for the long term. When residents and businesses have a shared stake in their communities, stakeholders benefit in many ways and those communities are transformed into places of empowerment.

The Crescent City Community Land Trust (CCCLT) is a community-based nonprofit corporation committed to the long-term, sustainable renewal of New Orleans. CCCLT serves as a bridge between philanthropic and public funders to a network of community development partners throughout New Orleans who share its vision for the city’s long-term, sustainable renewal. CCCLT forges alliances, negotiates deals and moves development initiatives to completion.

Through the Crescent City Futures Fund, CCCLT seeds community development initiatives, leveraging scarce public monies that bring lasting results to communities and people of New Orleans whose livelihoods depend on strong, sustainable neighborhoods.

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

The Roux to The Gumbo

As New Orleans prepares to celebrate its tricentennial, Flozell Daniels, Jr., President and CEO of the Foundation for Louisiana, addresses issues concerning proper representation and equitable access to the city’s tourism largess for culturebearers.

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’ve been giving a lot of thought to the tricentennial and its implication for the next century of opportunity for New Orleans. Particularly cultural New Orleans and black New Orleans. At the Foundation for Louisiana, we have a built-in analysis that’s framed in the values of Equity and Inclusion.

In this analysis, we hold that the last 300 years represents a past as powerful and winding as the Mighty Mississippi – and a past that evidences, as late New Orleans culturebearer Douglas Redd noted, not only Efforts of Grace, but also Grace under Fire. Lately, the discussions in which I’ve participated seem to focus more on this sense from blacks, and in particular, culturalists, that our way of life and our ability to participate in the local economy is under assault. This is why so much of our work is designed to build more permanent and enduring community infrastructure that expands economic participation and ownership society among the cultural community that I believe has crafted spirit and energy of this magical city and that drives our multi-billion dollar tourism and service industry.

A vision for New Orleans at 300 must be grounded and guided by a deep commitment to achieve economic equity in measurable ways that preserves and enriches our culture and the people who are our culture. The culturalists have given and continue to give the city the gift of music, graphic art, dance, food, song, the written word and even natural preservation.

How does the city recognize and share its wealth with those who made that wealth, as we approach this milestone moment in time?

First, recognize the actual history. We know that even while many of our forebears were toiling away on nearby plantations, others were publishing poetry and writing symphonies to the world from this place. We know that organized civil rights efforts took place here to desegregate city school and streetcars right here in New Orleans. And of course Jazz, arguably New Orleans’ greatest gift to America, and the likes of Louis Armstrong continue to prove that we should stand strong and strategic in this opportunity to move our agenda. We know that culture is a source of strength and vitality that will

drive us forward. We also know that an organized system of racial oppression and ad hoc indentured servitude helped to create the enormous wealth that is held by a relative few in New Orleans. It will take an organized system of economic opportunity and equity to create a situation where we share in this city’s amazing bounty – as much as we have helped to create this amazing bounty.

Second, the design of this system must include: 1. Disciplined strategies to include cuturalists and their communities in accessing quality jobs with good benefits.

2. Thoughtful and responsible approaches to expanding an ownership society through business ownership and development, including innovative cooperative ownership models that hone close to community values.

3. Well-grounded vehicles to permanently endow institutions with financial capital to acquire land, further develop cultural centers that are self-sustaining and to support the critical cycle of culture.

4. Strong commitment to a birth to grave model of cultural education that’s deeply steeped in this community’s unique history, covering the last 300 years and serving as a platform to plot out the next 300 year strategies.

My observations are that in the post-Katrina environment, there exist lots of opportunity for alignment – it’s already happening in some small ways – that can help us realize some of these goals.

The Tricentennial Consortium has set a goal to create $11 billion in direct tourism spending by the city’s 300th birthday in 2018.

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

The Foundation for Louisiana, along with the Ashe Cultural Arts Center, the Greater New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation and other entities from along and around the Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard Main Street Corridor recently discussed ways to prepare culture bearers ability to capitalized on citywide planning for the tricentennial. Follow up meetings will be scheduled in the coming months as we look toward 2018. Contact Ashe at (504) 569-9070 or visit them online at www.ashecac.org.

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OPEN Announces

The 2014 OPEA Awardees Orleans Public Education Network proudly announces its 2014 OPEN Public Education Awards (OPEA) title awardees. The only formal venue in New Orleans to celebrate excellence on the city’s educational landscape, the OPEAs will be held November 15, 2014 at the Harrah’s Casino Ballroom. Visit OPENNOLA.org to learn more about the OPEAs today.

2014 Enduring Impact Awardee Mary Haynes-Smith Principal, Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School

2014 Distinguished Product of New Orleans Public Schools Awardee

This award celebrates the rich history of public education, highlighting educators

The Honorable James M. “Jim” Singleton Chairman, New Orleans Redevelopment Authority

who have made a significant contribution to public education and the quality of

This award pays tribute to graduate of New Orleans public schools who has made a

life in New Orleans.

demonstrable impact within his or her field.

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ith more than 25 years of experience in education, esteemed educator Mary Haynes-Smith has led the charge of inspiring, developing and enhancing the lives of New Orleans public school children.

Mrs. Smith’s educational path began in the New Orleans Public School System, where she graduated from Joseph S. Clark High School. Her educational pursuits continued at Southern University of Baton Rouge where she obtained her bachelor’s degree, and later, a Master’s Degree from the University of New Orleans.

Mrs. Smith did not begin her professional career in education. After graduating from college, she received a lucrative job at a large New York firm.

Although she prospered in her job, she continued to long for home and her dream of working with children. Eventually, the desire to be an educator and the beliefs her parents had implanted in her led her back to New Orleans. When she returned home, she began to make this dream a reality with her first job as a 7th grade teacher at Behrman Elementary in the city she loved so much.

Mrs. Smith was encouraged by a former supervisor to apply for her current position as a principal in an Orleans Parish Public School. Under her leadership as the principal, Stuart R. Bradley (pre-Katrina) made continuous academic growth.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina interrupted the city of New Orleans, the education system, and Mrs. Smith’s career. To quote the September 6th edition of the American School Board Journal, “Her take-charge attitude served her well as she assembled employees strewn across the country, convinced them to return to uncertainty and led them to reopen one of the city’s first district-run schools post-Katrina, displaying her tenacity for perseverance.”

Mrs. Smith’s persistence and exceptional leadership abilities have turned challenges into opportunities and is replicated in magazines, newspapers and educational journals across the nation. She has received countless awards, has been the guest speaker in many public forums and conferences and has been the expert that countless educators have called upon to identify as a great leader.

Currently, Mrs. Smith serves as principal of Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary where she continues to make a difference in the lives of students, leaders, parents and the community.

Even though education is her first love, her world could not be complete without the love of her husband, Linton Smith, and her two sons, Linton and Jared. In every aspect of Mrs. Smith’s life, the tree she planted continues to grow.

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B

orn in Hazelhurst, MS, the Honorable James M. Singleton has been a dedicated member of the New Orleans community since his family’s arrival in 1948.

It was during his senior year at Booker T. Washington High School that the future councilmember met a young Dr. Norman X. Francis, future president of Xavier University, establishing a bond that has lasted to this day.

After receiving a degree in mathematics from Southern University and A&M College, Councilmember Singleton furthered his studies at Xavier and Loyola Universities, the University of Oklahoma and the United States Army Logistics Management School and Command and General Staff College.

In 1958, after a brief active duty stint, Singleton returned to New Orleans and began a career in education, serving eight terms at Carter G. Woodson High School. While at Woodson, he became involved in the Central City community.

It was during this time that Singleton began working with Total Community Action, Inc. (TCA) and recognized a disconnect between the organization and the people it served. Councilmember Singleton said he realized, while working with organizations like TCA that, every time they wanted to get something done, they had to go to City Hall. “Eventually,” he said, “I thought, ‘Why don’t I just stay down here and when we need something, I’ll already be here.” It was a simplistic view, but one that led Mr. Singleton to leave teaching in 1970 and begin a remarkable career in public service. He went on to run for New Orleans City Council in 1978, where he represented District B from 1978 to 1994. In 1994, He was elected Councilmember-at-Large and served with distinction in that position until 2002.

Throughout his career, Councilmember Singleton has served in a variety of important positions in the community and city government, including chairmanships with City Council’s Utilities, Budget and Sewerage and Water Board Drainage Committees; the Central City Economic Opportunity Corporation Board of Directors; TCA, Inc. Board of Directors; and the Dryades YMCA Board of Directors. The Dryades “Y” bestowed the ultimate honor on this revered statesman by naming its flagship school the James M. Singleton Charter School.

Councilmember Singleton is also the chairman of the Board of Commissioners for the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority. In this role, he oversees the redevelopment of the city post Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Since retiring from politics, Councilmember Singleton continues making his contribution to the community. His voice and wise counsel are constantly sought out to resolve disputes and to bring fairness and equity to situations involving the underserved and disenfranchised.

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

CeCe Gets

m o r f s t h g u o th

s e k o t S Sara

houghts e book , 20 T th f o this issue r o th u e who, as of n, the a iv a at m n p a s h an C e ” rl e O eC She is a New birthday CeCe!

By Christy “C hould Have.

S py an ap H m o s. u W at Every ething” st m so ty ir h “t graduates to itter at @CeCetheAuthor. n Tw Follow her o

Our beautiful city hosted so many great events and people for Essence Festival 2014. So many celebrities that we only get to see on television.

One in particular that I had the opportunity to sit with was Sara Stokes. You may remember this young lady from Sean “P. Diddy” Combs reality TV show, MTV’s Making the Band 2 in 2003. I will say this interview was filled with heartwarming clichés provided by this former “P. Diddy protégée” who, some may feel was a little more irate than most. Sara disappeared to deal with personal issues and to find herself again. But you never can judge someone until you know and can empathize with their story. I tell you one thing: after this interview, I surely did.

1.

Who are you?

My name is Sara Stokes, I was a one of the six members of the music group, “Da Band,” group that Sean “P. Diddy” Combs put together. I was the R & B part of it. I am the singer.

2.

Where are you from?

I am from Detroit, Michigan. I also reside there as well now.

3.

Give our readers three words that describe you?

Okay, I have plenty words. But just three … I am sexy, silly and the fact that I am a Gemini should sum it up (laughing).

4. Tell us your pet peeve.

Oh my God, girl … I hate bad teeth, okaaaay? I am a little over-obsessed with teeth. I love clean teeth.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

So you are here in New Orleans for Essence Festival promoting your new reintroduction to the world.

It has been some years since we have heard your music. Where have you been?

I have been loving me. I had to find myself. I needed time to be a mother and grow. My oldest son just graduated from high school. I also received my degree in aesthetics.

What made you study to be an aesthetician of all things?

I have gone through a lot. Sometimes, I didn’t feel so good about myself. But when you look your best, you feel your best. I always, as a child, played in my moms make-up since I was about 5 years old. I want to help people be beautiful. Everyone should have beautiful skin. No one wants a bumpy face, so I am here to help that.

What do you think about being here in New Orleans being from Michigan?

I so love the vibe here. I love the warmth. I love the people. It’s a beautiful people. it’s live. Its like you see what you get. I also respect the strength of it as a city. I still remember everything with Hurricane Katrina even. So to come back strong, wow! New Orleans has soul that I can feel. I can even taste the soul through the food.

What foods have you eaten here this weekend?

I love the crawfish. I ate that. I am not a real porkand beef-eater, but that crawfish I can eat. I have tasted some things. The taste of New Orleans food is like no other.

So how did you exactly land on MTV’s Making The Band?

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

What is so crazy is that I wasn’t even going to the audition. I did it as something to just go and do. I went and didn’t put to much thought into it at all. I didn’t think I was going to make it, but I DID !!!!! And from that moment is when I realized, “When it is your time, it is your time.”

10. What was it like working with someone who is a mastermind; someone who has built his own brand in an impeccable manner, “Mr. Ciroc “himself as some would call him, “P. Diddy”?

Puffy is a perfectionist. With him it literally is all work. He is business. He believes in hard work. He means what he says; very firm and grounded. He always told me to be smart about my decisions.

One thing that made a lot of sense that means more than you when you hear it, he would say, “Know what you are doing at all times, because decisions come back whether good or bad.”

11. What is a misconception about you?

I feel a lot of people feel that I am crazy. They feel that I am a weak singer. I am neither. But I am sure of myself, and now its time to show and prove.

12. The world and your fans are ready for you to show and prove. So tell us what’s in the works.

Well I have been in the studio on my solo project with James Worthy and Timberland. My project will be out winter this year; just adding finishing touches. This album is “ME”...back to me. The woman evolved with ups and downs within these 10 years being gone. I am now acting in movies. I am excited about my role in Ride Along II with Kevin Hart. I been working.

13. Everybody literally watched the show and stayed tuned in. Tell us about the “Walk For Cheesecake to Brooklyn”?

Well, one night we were in the studio, and we upset Puffy. So, he says, “I want some cheesecake from Juniors.” Keep in mind I’m from Detroit. So when he said it, I was like, “Okay, cool.” My group mate, Baps, was from New York, so she was like, “OMG.” It was a walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn, almost 15 miles. We literally had to walk over the Manhattan Bridge. It took us 5 1/2 hours to go and come back only to find out that Puffy had left. So it was our punishment and to show how determined we wanted success.

14. Why did the “Da Band “ disband in 2003?

Actually Puffy disbanded our group. We were young

and inexperienced … sometimes it would be fusses and fights that spiraled out of control. He felt the opportunity wasn’t taken as seriously as it should have, and Puffy proves points.

15. So now you are back and ready. The media really went crazy with the personal issues between you and your husband, even accusing you of being the aggressor in one incident back in 2009. By the way, with everything you guys went through, are you still married?

Now that’s another reality show. But just know the kids are good (laughing).

16. Ok, so back to music (laughing). Who are you anticipating working with?

I want to work with T.I., Ludacris and most definitely my old group member, Baps. I got to get her on there.

17. What is something that we don’t know?

I floss three times a day. My favorite meal is grilled salmon, and I love peanut butter toast.

18. What was a struggle for you with all you experienced?

I went through a lot as a woman. I went through a lot in my marriage. Being able to live. Being able to keep going when people would tell me I couldn’t and wouldn’t. I had to learn how to hold my head high again and never let it go low.

19. Give us a line of advice.

Make fun of yourself sometimes and laugh. You will never go wrong being truthful to yourself. Always give back. I love to feel people out and help them.

I am no better than anyone else. Always allow your heart to go out to others.

20. Five years from now, what will you tell me in that interview?

“Girl, I have conquered all my goals. Did you see my Grammy? How did you like my new movie? The kids are great, and yes that album will be platinum, too...”

It will be a gratified, happy time.

Follow Sara Stokes on Instagram (@sara_stokes) & Twitter (@sexysarastokes) 21

Neighborhood Meetings

Neighborhood Meetings

Algiers Point Association 1st Thursday of the month 7 p.m.

Visit www.algierspoint.org for location.

Chapel of the Holy Comforter 4th Thursday of the month 6:30 p.m.

2200 Lakeshore Drive

Algiers Presidents’ Council 4th Tuesday of the month 7 p.m.

Woldenberg Village - 3701 Behrman Place www.anpcnola.org

Claiborne-University Neighborhood Association Quarterly meetings (Date and time TBA) Jewish Community Center 5342 St. Charles Avenue

Broadmoor Improvement Association 3rd Monday of every other month 7 p.m.

Andrew H. Wilson Charter School Cafeteria 3617 General Pershing Street www.broadmoorimprovement.com

Downtown Neighborhoods Improvement Association (DNIA) Last Tuesday of each month 7 p.m.

Joan Mitchell Center 2275 Bayou Road

Bunny Friend Neighborhood Association 3rd Saturday of the month Mt. Carmel Baptist Church 3721 N. Claiborne Avenue bunnyfriendassoc@gmail.com Bywater Neighborhood Association 2nd Tuesday of the month 7 p.m.

Holy Angels Cafeteria 3500 St. Claude Avenue www.bywaterneighbors.com Carrollton Riverbend Neighborhood Association 2nd Thursday of the month St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall 1031 S. Carrollton Avenue Carrollton United 2nd Monday of the month - 5 p.m.

St. John Missionary Baptist Church Leonidas Avenue and Hickory Street www.healthyneworleans.org Central City Renaissance Alliance (CCRA) 3rd Tuesday of each month 6:00pm Mahalia Jackson Early Childhood & Family Learning Center 2405 Jackson Avenue www.myccra.org

DeSaix Neighborhood Association 2nd Saturday of the month 10 a.m.

Langston Hughes Academy 3519 Trafalgar Street danadesaix.org East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Committee 2nd Tuesday of the month 6 p.m.

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church 7300 Crowder Boulevard www.enonac.org Edgewood Park Neighborhood Association 1st Saturday of the month 10 a.m.

New Hope Community Church 3708 Gentilly Blvd.

Faubourg Delachaise Neighborhood Association Quarterly meetings Visit http://fdna-nola.org for details.

Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association Board Meeting – 2nd Monday of the month 7 p.m.

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Cafeteria 1368 Moss Street http://www.fsjna.org

Faubourg St. Roch Improvement Association 2nd Thursday of the month 6 p.m.

True Vine Baptist Church 2008 Marigny Street Filmore Gardens Neighborhood Association 4th Thursday of the month (no meetings in November and December) 6:30 p.m.

Project Home Again 5506 Wickfield Street Garden District Association Visitwww.gardendistrictassociation.comfor annual meeting information.

Gentilly Civic Improvement Association (GCIA) 3rd Saturday of the month 6:30 p.m.

Edgewater Baptist Church 5900 Paris Avenue www.facebook.com/gentillycivic Gentilly Heights East Neighborhood Association 3rd Monday of the month 6 p.m.

Dillard University, Dent Hall – Room 104 Gentilly Sugar Hill Neighborhood Association 3rd Monday of the month 6:30 p.m.

Volunteers of America 2929 St. Anthony Avenue

Hollygrove Neighbors Association Quarterly on Saturdays 12 p.m.

St. Peter AME Church 3424 Eagle Street Emailhollygroveneighbors@yahoo.comfor dates Holy Cross Neighborhood Association 2nd Thursday of the month 5:30 p.m.

Center for Sustainability GreaterLittleZionMissionaryBaptistChurch 5130 Chartres Street Irish Channel Neighborhood Association 2nd Thursday of the month 7 p.m.

Irish Channel Christian Fellowship 819 First Street www.irishchannel.org Lake Bullard Home Owners Association Cornerstone United Methodist Church 5276 Bullard Avenue Visit lakebullard.org for meeting schedule Lake Catherine Civic Association 2nd Tuesday of the month 7 p.m.

Emaillakecatherineassociation@yahoo.com for location information Lake Willow Neighborhood 2nd Saturday of the month 10 a.m.

St. Maria Goretti Church

Gentilly Terrace and Gardens Improvement Association 2nd Wednesday of the month 7 p.m.

Gentilly Terrace School 4720 Painters Street www.gentillyterrace.org Hoffman Triangle Neighborhood Association 2nd Tuesday of the month 5:30 p.m.

Pleasant Zion Missionary Baptist Church 3327 Toledano Street hoffmantriangle.org

Lower Ninth Ward Neighborhood Empowerment Network Association 2nd Saturday of the month 12 p.m.

1120 Lamanche Street www.9thwardnena.org Lower Ward Ninth Ward Stakeholders Coalition 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month 5:30 p.m.

1800 Deslonde Street

Join the Neighborhoods Partnership Network to post news & events for your organization at NPNnola.nationbuilder.com 22

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

Neighborhood Meetings

Melia Subdivision 2nd Saturday of the month 5 p.m.

Anchored in Christ Church 4334 Stemway Mid-City Neighborhood Organization 2nd Monday of the month 6 p.m. – meet & greet 6:30 p.m. – neighborhood meeting Warren Easton High School 3019 Canal Street www.mcno.org Milneburg Neighborhood Association 4th Thursday of the month 6:30 p.m.

Chapel of the Holy Comforter 2200 Lakeshore Drive The New St. Claude Association of Neighbors 1st Thursday of the month 7 p.m.

Pierre’s Hall 4138 St. Claude Avenue www.newstclaude.assocn.nscan.com New Zion City Preservation Association 1st Monday of the month 7 p.m.

APEX Youth Center 4360 Washington Ave.

Oak Park Civic Association 3rd Thursday of the month 6:30 p.m.

Edgewater Baptist Church 5900 Paris Avenue www.facebook.com/OakParkNewOrleans Paris Oaks/Bayou Vista Neighborhood Association Last Saturday of the month 4 p.m.

Third District Police Station 4650 Paris Avenue Pensiontown of Carrollton Neighborhood Association 1st Saturday of the month 2 p.m.

Leonidas House Community Center 1407 Leonidas Street Pilotland Neighborhood Association 3rd Saturday of the month 3 p.m.

Pentecost Baptist Church Fellowship Hall 1510 Harrison Avenue Pontilly Association Pontilly Disaster Collaborative - 3rd Wednesday of the month General Meeting – 2nd Saturday of the month 3869 Gentilly Blvd., Suite C Rosedale Subdivision Last Friday of the month 5:30 p.m.

Greater Bright Morning Star Baptist Church 4253 Dale Street

Ask City Hall

Seventh Ward Neighborhood Association 3rd Saturday of the month 1 p.m.

St. Augustine High School 2600 A.P. Tureaud Avenue seventhwardassoc@aol.com Seabrook Neighborhood Association 2nd Monday on the month Gentilly Terrace School 4720 Painter Street Emailseabrookassociation@yahoo.comfor times Tall Timbers Owners Association 2nd Wednesday in April & October 7 p.m.

Tunisburg Square Homeowners Civic Association, Inc. 2nd Monday of the month 6:30 p.m.

Visit tunisburg.org for location information Village de L’Est Improvement Association 1st Tuesday of every other month 7 p.m.

Einstein Charter School 5100 Cannes Street West Barrington Association 1st Tuesday of the month 6 p.m.

Holiday Inn Express 7049 Bullard Avenue

Send your neighborhood meeting details to: info@npnnola.com

Neighborhoods Partnership Network 3321 Tulane Avenue New Orleans, LA 70119 504.940.2207 • FX 504.940.2208 thetrumpet@npnnola.com

THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

District A Susan G. Guidry City Hall, Room 2W80 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 658-1010 Fax: (504) 658-1016 Email: sgguidry@nola.gov District B LaToya Cantrell City Hall, Room 2W10 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 658-1020 Fax: (504) 658-1025 lcantrell@nola.gov District C Nadine M. Ramsey City Hall, Room 2W70 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658-1030 Fax: (504) 658-1037 Email: nramsey@nola.gov District D Jared C. Brossett City Hall, Room 2W20 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658-1040 Fax: (504) 658-1048 E-mail: jcbrossett@nola.gov District E James Austin Gray II City Hall, Room 2W60 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 658-1050 Fax: (504) 658-1058 Email: jagray@nola.gov Council Member-At-Large Stacy Head City Hall, Room 2W40 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658 -1060 Fax: (504) 658-1068 Email: shead@nola.gov Council Member-At-Large Jason Rogers Williams City Hall, Room 2W50 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 658-1070 Fax: (504) 658-1077 Email:jarwilliams@nola.gov

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THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

Save the Date

November 7, 2014 ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ THE TRUMPET | SUMMER | 2014

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